October: Public Safety Report

FIRE DEPARTMENT
Apalachicola Volunteer Fire Department Chief George Watkins was out of town due to a family emergency and unable to attend the Oct 6, city commission meeting. However, Assistant Fire Chief Fonda Davis was available and reported on the monthly activities of the department in Watkins absence.

Davis told commissioners that the fire department had a company come down from Valdosta to repair the fire engine. He explained that when the company arrived they realized that the work was more than they had expected.

Davis further explained that the company had returned that day to pick up the engine for transporting back to their Valdosta shop to make the repairs and that the repair shop would provide the department with a quote before starting the work. He finished by telling commissioners that Chief Watkins would report on the status of the repair work upon his return.

City Administrator Betty Taylor-Webb interjected and told commissioners that the St. George Island Volunteer Fire Department had loan the city the use of one of their engines and that the city is currently covering the vehicle under its insurance policy.

POLICE DEPARTMENT

Apalachicola Chief of Police Bobby Varnes told commissioners that during the month of September officers with the Police Department responded to 178 calls down from 194 a month ago, made five arrests which is unchanged from last month, had 6 warrant request down from 15 warrants in August.

Varnes continued his report by telling commissioners that the department worked two traffic accidents unchanged from last month and issued 16 traffic citations slightly down from 17 during the month of August.

In response to instructions from the Franklin County Traffic Safety Team, police officers will no longer issue out warnings when making traffic stops for violations of the uniform traffic code.